Advances in Mineral Geochronology

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2015) | Viewed by 27566

Special Issue Editor

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
Interests: isotope geochemistry; geochronology; laser ablation-ICP-MS; nuclear forensics; geochemistry; igneous petrology; carbonatites
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, advances in sample processing methods and mass spectrometry instrumentation have resulted in both the enhanced awareness and number of geochronological investigations. This includes application of in-situ U-Th-Pb dating of a multitude of accessory minerals (e.g., zircon, monazite, titanite, apatite, perovskite) at high spatial resolution (10s of micron scale) using SIMS or LA-(MC)-ICP-MS technologies. Combining the latter with measurement of in-situ isotope compositions (e.g., Nd, Sr, Pb, Hf) from single crystals, results in a powerful tool for deciphering provenance indicators, and interpreting the petrogenetic history of igneous/metamorphic systems, or magma chamber processes. A consequence of the increased application of a variety of geochronological methods, however, has led to non-uniformity in data reduction and processing protocols. Thus, the aim of this special volume is to gather studies focused on recent scientific and technical advances in mineral geochronology, using either spatially resolved acquisition methods, or at the mineral scale (e.g., ID-TIMS). Geochronological investigations presenting novel data reduction and processing schemes are also welcome.

Prof. Dr. Antonio Simonetti
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • geochronology
  • high spatial resolution analysis
  • accessory minerals
  • U-Th-Pb dating
  • mass spectrometry
  • LA-(MC)-ICP-MS
  • SIMS
  • ID-TIMS

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

1239 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Homogeneity of the Uranium Isotope Composition of NIST SRM 610/611 by MC-ICP-MS, MC-TIMS, and SIMS
by Mindy M. Zimmer, William S. Kinman, Azim H. Kara and Robert E. Steiner
Minerals 2014, 4(2), 541-552; https://doi.org/10.3390/min4020541 - 10 Jun 2014
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 7335
Abstract
As analytical and microanalytical applications employing uranium isotope ratios increase, so does the need for reliable reference materials, particularly in the fields of geochemistry, geochronology, and nuclear forensics. We present working values for uranium isotopic data of NIST 610/611 glass, collected by multicollector [...] Read more.
As analytical and microanalytical applications employing uranium isotope ratios increase, so does the need for reliable reference materials, particularly in the fields of geochemistry, geochronology, and nuclear forensics. We present working values for uranium isotopic data of NIST 610/611 glass, collected by multicollector inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS), multicollector thermal ionization mass spectrometry (MC-TIMS), and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The presence of depleted U, and, in this case, measureable 236U, makes NIST 610/611 an ideal candidate for a uranium isotopic reference material for nuclear materials. We analyzed multiple chips of three different NIST 611 wafers and found no heterogeneity in 234U/238U, 235U/238U, and 236U/238U within or between the wafers, within analytical uncertainty. We determined working values and uncertainties (using a coverage factor of two) using data from this study and the literature for the following U isotope ratios: 234U/238U = 9.45 × 10−6 ± 5.0 × 10−8; 235U/238U = 2.38555 × 10−3 ± 4.7 × 10−7; and 236U/238U = 4.314 × 10−5 ± 4.0 × 10−8. SIMS data show 235U/238U is reproducible to within 1% (within analytical uncertainty) in a single wafer, at a scale of 25 μm. Multiple studies have demonstrated homogeneity between wafers of NIST 610 and NIST 611, thus the data reported here can be considered representative of NIST 610 as well. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Mineral Geochronology)
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3369 KiB  
Article
Chemical Abrasion Applied to LA-ICP-MS U–Pb Zircon Geochronology
by Quentin G. Crowley, Kyle Heron, Nancy Riggs, Balz Kamber, David Chew, Brian McConnell and Keith Benn
Minerals 2014, 4(2), 503-518; https://doi.org/10.3390/min4020503 - 03 Jun 2014
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 10832
Abstract
Zircon (ZrSiO4) is the most commonly used mineral in U–Pb geochronology. Although it has proven to be a robust chronometer, it can suffer from Pb-loss or elevated common Pb, both of which impede precision and accuracy of age determinations. Chemical abrasion [...] Read more.
Zircon (ZrSiO4) is the most commonly used mineral in U–Pb geochronology. Although it has proven to be a robust chronometer, it can suffer from Pb-loss or elevated common Pb, both of which impede precision and accuracy of age determinations. Chemical abrasion of zircon involves thermal annealing followed by relatively low temperature partial dissolution in HF acid. It was specifically developed to minimize or eliminate the effects of Pb-loss prior to analysis using Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry (TIMS). Here we test the application of chemical abrasion to Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) by analyzing zircons from both untreated and chemically abraded samples. Rates of ablation for high alpha-dose non-treated zircons are up to 25% faster than chemically abraded equivalents. Ablation of 91500 zircon reference material demonstrates a ca. 3% greater down-hole fractionation of 206Pb/238U for non-treated zircons. These disparities necessitate using chemical abrasion for both primary reference material and unknowns to avoid applying an incorrect laser induced fractionation correction. All treated samples display a marked increase in the degree of concordance and/or lowering of common Pb, thereby illustrating the effectiveness of chemical abrasion to LA-ICP-MS U–Pb zircon geochronology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Mineral Geochronology)
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4874 KiB  
Article
Evidence for the Multi-Stage Petrogenetic History of the Oka Carbonatite Complex (Québec, Canada) as Recorded by Perovskite and Apatite
by Wei Chen and Antonio Simonetti
Minerals 2014, 4(2), 437-476; https://doi.org/10.3390/min4020437 - 26 May 2014
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 8614
Abstract
The Oka complex is amongst the youngest carbonatite occurrences in North America and is associated with the Monteregian Igneous Province (MIP; Québec, Canada). The complex consists of both carbonatite and undersaturated silicate rocks (e.g., ijolite, alnöite), and their relative emplacement history is uncertain. [...] Read more.
The Oka complex is amongst the youngest carbonatite occurrences in North America and is associated with the Monteregian Igneous Province (MIP; Québec, Canada). The complex consists of both carbonatite and undersaturated silicate rocks (e.g., ijolite, alnöite), and their relative emplacement history is uncertain. The aim of this study is to decipher the petrogenetic history of Oka via the compositional, isotopic and geochronological investigation of accessory minerals, perovskite and apatite, using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The new compositional data for individual perovskite and apatite grains from both carbonatite and associated alkaline silicate rocks are highly variable and indicative of open system behavior. In situ Sr and Nd isotopic compositions for these two minerals are also variable and support the involvement of several mantle sources. U-Pb ages for both perovskite and apatite define a bimodal distribution, and range between 113 and 135 Ma, which overlaps the range of ages reported previously for Oka and the entire MIP. The overall distribution of ages indicates that alnöite was intruded first, followed by okaite and carbonatite, whereas ijolite defines a bimodal emplacement history. The combined chemical, isotopic, and geochronological data is best explained by invoking the periodic generation of small volume, partial melts generated from heterogeneous mantle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Mineral Geochronology)
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